Sectional athletic field cover



1951 c. J. HOIGAARD ET AL SECTIONAL ATHLETIC FIELD COVER Filed Nov. 25, 1946 4 m D l MQ M a M AC 2 A mm P A J K %N a B mm 2 ET Q 7 (w a m 8 l .U 5 c H v m 5 B a Q Patented Dec. 11, 1951 SECTIONAL ATHLETIC FIELD COVER Cyrus J. Hoigaard and Frank W. Boeck, Minneapolis, Minn., assignors to C. J. Hoigaard 00., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application November 25, 1946, Serial No. 712,166

2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to sectional, flexible coverings for athletic fields and other large areas and particularly relates to a sectional covering having means provided for easily connecting and interlocking adjoining sections.

For some years flexible, waterproof coverings have been used to protect large areas such as athletic fields, airports, freshly laid concrete and the like.

The difiiculty incurred in such coverings has been that either the flexible covering has been too large and cumbersome to be easily handled, or if in sections, there has been no quick way of interconnecting these sections to provide complete protection.

It is an objectof our invention to provide a highly eflicient, sectional covering of the class described, having readily connectible and disconnectible, cooperating sealing means between the several sections.

More specifically, it is an object to provide a continuous, sealing connection between adjacent sections of a flexible waterproof covering preventing water from running between the sections and securing the sections in a continuous, integral structure and eliminating interference from wind forces.

Another object is to provide, in a protective sectional covering, an underlying water-sealing fold, a sealing bead of unitary construction with interlacing loops to connect and continuously seal the underlying section to an adjacent overlapping edge of an adjoining section, thus providing a substantially continuous connection.

These and other objects and advantages of our invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing the connected assembly of several sections of a flexible covering;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the connected assembly of several sections of a flexible cover- Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the loops in interlaced position connecting two adjoining sections;

Fig. ,3 is a top perspective view showing the interlacing method and the construction of the adjacent edges of two adjoining sections;

Fig. 4 is a detail section view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, showing in elevation the loops in interlaced position;

Fig. 5 is a section view taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 1 showing the end view of the water-sealing connection; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken similarly to Fig. 5 but showing an alternative method of folding the top overlapping edge into the underlying water-sealing fold to provide additional sealing action.

All of the several sections of the flexible covering are similarly constructed. In the form shown, each section is made from an elongated, rectangular strip of waterproof canvas. Each of the sections at one of its marginal, longitudinal edges is stitched to form a relatively wide hem l and-through said hem, a series of equally and longitudinally spaced apertures 9 are formed. A series of metal grommets ID are inserted therethrough, being clinched against the fabric of the hem. The longitudinal edge of the hem is indicated by the numeral 8.

The opposite marginal and longitudinal edge of each section is stitched to form a hem II and a flexible, reinforcing element such as a rope I2 is firmly encased therein, forming a sealing head I la. Additional stitching may be utilized to secure the rope or element within the hem. The rope of said bead Ha also forms a series of equally spaced, interlacing loops I2a adapted to be inserted through the metal grommets Ill. The length of the said loops 12a is substantially equal to the distance between two adjacent grommets Ill.

The beaded marginal portion of each section is folded back, forming the underlying watersealing fold l3, which fold is preferably stitched close to its line of folding.

A typical use for such a covering would be to protect a football gridiron. There the various sections would be laid out on the ground covering the playing field and arranged so that the grommets ll] of the hem I of one section respectively, overlie the loops lZa of the sealing bead Ha of the adjoining section. A typical connection is shown in Figs. 2 through 5, inclusive. In Fig. 3 the overlapping, grommet-containing hem l of a section designated A is shown in connecting position with the underlying marginal por-' tion of the adjoining section designated B, which contains loops l2a and fold l3.

A hand loop I4 is provided at each end of the overlapping edge 8 of each section to facilitate aligning the, holes with their respective loops and to receive a hold-down stake, thus preventing the wind from getting under the narrow ends of the canvas sections.

The general procedure for making the connection is as follows. Adjoining sections are laid down with underlying loop-containing hem i i of one section adjacent to the overlapping hem l of the adjoining section. Then the loops 12a are successively inserted through their respective grommets In. To this end, the loop second to the end is threaded through the end loop, the third loop being threaded through the second one, the

fourth through the third and so on across the adjoining marginal portiins of section A:andsec-.

tion B.

ilhe reinforcing bead i la. causes each section "to assume the shape. of "a slight trough, facilitating the drainage of water to the sidesland away from the playing surface. .Bead l la-furtherhas a damming effect on any water which .seeks .to seep transversely between the connections. Combined with the sealing effect between .the

overlapping flap of section A and the said rope 'bead'of section B, the underlying water-sealing flap i3 constitutes a dam to positively prevent the water from running laterally between the overlapped portions of adjacent sections.

The grommets lil are so disposed inward from the edge t as to leave an overlying portion of the hem shown in Fig. 5, merely resting on the overlying waterproof canvas, beyond sealing bead Ha.

Fig. 6 shows :this flap or hero 1' tucked underneath thewater-sealing bead I ta into the water- :sealing fold it, thus providing an alternative method of making connection between two sections. This alternative method shown in Fig, 6 provides additional protection and sealing action, the rest .TOf the .connectionbeing. substantially the same as-ioutlined above.

In a typical use, such as .a gridiron cover, the several sections may be of ten yards in'width and of allength to traverse the entire playing "field. The several sections are usually rolled up upon large tubular members such as culverts which facilitates laying and'taking'up of the covering as well as storage'thereof.

In laying and interconnecting the sections of the protective covering, a crew of two orthree operators is usually employed, one of the operators successiveiy unrolling the sections with opposing longitudinal edges thereof, slightly overlapped. After the first section .is laidgasecond operator, as the second section is being unrolled, successively interlaces the loops l2a, first inserting a loop through the cooperating grommet of the overlapping section edge and then passing that loop through the bight of the preceding loop. In this manner, the sections may be'interlocked and sealed as they are being unrolled andlaid.

In taking up the covering, the operation is reversed and the loops are successivelydisengaged as the sections are being rolled.

Most playing fields, runways and the like -are crowned transversely so that the moisture collected will run to the sides of the assembled structure.

From the foregoing description, itwill'be seen that we have provided a comparatively simple and highly efilcient sectional protectivecovering adapted for wide general useand capabieof being very quickly and easily'assembled'inopera- "tive position withthe sections'interlocked.

It will further be seen that the combination of Lthegcooperatingedges, folds andsealing beads of two adjaoent'sections provide-a positive dam and trap between the joined marginal edges.

It will further be seen that a close combinative relation exists between the cooperating facilities for sealing and the particular means for locking and interlocking .the sections in that the inter- .lacingand tightening of the loops in provides a substantially continuous downward clamping effect against the overlapped marginal edge. This clamping effect'forces the doubled or folded edge :(inithe form shown, the hem 1) against the top of the longitudinal head I la.

:11; will .of course, be understood that various -.changes may besmade in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the, parts without 'departingfrom the scope of our invention.

What we claim .is: l..A sectional protective covering for areas such .as athletic fields having in combination, a ,plurality "of elongated sections constructed of water repellent material each of said sections :having one'of its longitudinal edges overlapped against itself-to form a water sealing fold with the free edge thereof unattached to the underiying rnarginal'portionrof the section and having reinforcing water sealing bead connected along said unattached free edge of the water sealing :fold, 'a series of longitudinally spaced interconnectingtelernents attached along said .'free edge, .the opposite longitudinal marginal portion of each section having a plurality of spaced connecting elements for cooperating with said interconnecting elements to permit continuous sealing of the adjacentmarginalportions of two adjoining sections.

sectional protective covering for areas such as'atliletic fields having in combination a plurality of elongated marginally overlapping sections constructed of flexible water repellent material, eachof said sections comprising amain body portion, a. marginal fold formed along one longitudinal edge of said body portion being overlapping thereagainst with the free overlapped edge of said fold being unattached to said bodyportion to constitute a water confining trap under-said fold, the other longitudinal edge portion :having a plurality of section connecting elements disposeda short distance inwardly from the'extreme edge thereof, and cooperating sectionco'nnecting elements mounted adjacent the unattached free edge of said fold and cooperating with the first mentioned section connecting elements :to interconnect adjacent edge portions ofadjoining sections when adjoining sections are overlapped.

CYRUS .J. HOIGAARD. FRANK W. BOECK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 268,279 Kunkely May 7, 1878 207,087 Lynch et al. Jan. 2, 1883 1,576,888 'Woo'dward Mar. 16, 1926 1,580,396 Woodward Apr. 13, 1926 2,493,749 Brown et al Jan. 10, 1950 

